DELIVERING HIV AIDS SERVICES - THE PROFESSIONAL CARE PROVIDER SPEAKS OUT/

Background: This study evaluates the stresses and satisfactions experi enced by health care and social service providers working in HIV/AIDS service agencies in New York City. This study was part of the Ryan Whi te Title I Evaluation in New York City. Methods: This study is based o n semi-structured interviews with 86 randomly sampled providers from a representative sample of 29 HIV/AIDS service agencies. Personal inter views were completed with a cross section of AIDS care providers. All staff interviewed were audiotaped to facilitate data analysis. Staff d iscussed their frustrations and their personal satisfaction at working in AIDS care. In addition, all staff completed the Maslach Burnout In ventory (MBI) to facilitate a structured comparison of their levels of burnout. Results: Using the three subscales of the MBI, we found that interviewed AIDS cafe providers experienced lower than expected level s of burnout. Compared to national norms, health care and social servi ce providers showed above-average levels of personal accomplishment, b elow-average levels of depersonalization, and average levels of emotio nal exhaustion. Interview transcripts were analyzed focusing on three broad themes: unique stressors of HIV/AIDS services, positive aspects of HIV/AIDS services, and effective provider supports. The study confi rms that HIV/AIDS care providers feel a high level of personal commitm ent to working with HIV-positive clients. Personal commitment to HIV-p ositive clients may blunt some of the stresses associated with HIV/AID S care.